Don't Leave Me
by Invader Aqua
Summary: Sequel to Love Out Loud. Summary inside.LinkxSoren, IkexPit, MarthxRoy. Rated for language, violence, and gore. YAOI! I don't own the characters... or the plot. Gift fic for Sparxpunx and MassiveOtakuRennie
1. Don't Leave Me Tonight: Prologue

Don't Leave Me

Summary: Three months ago, Soren confessed his love for Link, the hero of time. Since then, the pair has remained incredibly close, but civil war in a neighboring country threatens their union. Will bringing peace to Daein result in the death of a loved one? LinkxSoren, IkexPit, MarthxRoy. Rated for sexual situations, language, and gore... lots and lots of gore.

A harsh winter wind descended the nearby mountain an unleashed its frigid fury on the small Crimean camp below. Tents billowed and swayed but stayed in place, as resilient as those that inhabited them. Three units comprised the encampment: the soldiers, the mercenaries, and the otherworld companions. The third was the smallest unit with only three tents, but it was where the Crimean Lord Ike made his stay. Joining him was the Angelic Captain, Pit, his most trusted and loved companion. In the second tent resided Prince Marth of Altea along with his partner and lover the Noble Roy of Pherae. The third tent housed the newest couple, Link the Hero of Time and Soren the spell casting tactician.

As the wind pressed harder on their tents, the lovers all drew closer for warmth. Daein winters were know for their brutality, but that did little to prepare the others for their cold. Sore snuggled deeper into Link's arms, hoping for some relief from the icy draft. The larger blonde drew the covers closer around the sage and nuzzled into the smaller's raven locks.

"All this hair and you can't stay warm?" he teased.

Soren open his blood-red eyes to give the Hylian a half-hearted glare. "I'd be warmer if a certain someone hadn't removed my robes."

"You liked it."

The sage had no prepared response that wasn't an obvious lie, so he laid quietly in his lover's arms.

Link chuckled. "If you're cold, I'll be happy to warm you up again." He leaned down, offering a kiss that was promptly rejected when Soren ducked down from view.

"Link!" he scolded, without his usual venom. "We have a big day tomorrow. You're going to be fighting tomorrow, and I want you to be well-rested."

"Right, right. Get up early, storm the mountain pass, make it to the other side, and wait for you to lead the supply wagons to come around on the forest-side. I know; I was listening to Ike when he went blabbering on about it at the fire tonight."

"Good. I'm glad you listen to someone."

"Oh, shut up. I listen to you, too!"

Soren looked the archer in the eyes. "Oh, really? When?"

Link smirked before throwing his head back, shouting, "Oh, Link! Faster! Harder! OH! Don't stop!"

Out-raged, the sage slammed his pillow down over the archer's face in a weak attempt to smother him. The blonde's muffled laughter could still be heard. Blindly, he reached around and hugged the spell caster's slender waist and pulled him down to his chest. Soren resisted, but eventually gave in and removed his pillow. This time, when the blonde puckered his lips, the sage accepted.

"You know I love you?" the Hylian inquired sweetly between kisses.

Soren intensified the kiss in reply. "Umm-hmm."

Link broke the contact. "I would give anything to have you at my side tomorrow," he whined, stroking his lover's hair out of his pale face.

"You know I can't do that. You need fighters who can cut down enemies quickly. The enemy guards need to be so busy with you guys that they won't notice me on the forest-side of the mountain leading the supply wagons. Besides, a spell caster like me would only slow you down."

Link sighed. "Why do the supplies matter so much that we have to go through all this trouble?"

"Because, Dearest Link, we don't have a lot of supplies. If we want to successfully stifle this revolution, we need to ration what we have. If we get ambushed and lose our supplies, we won't stop the rebel troops and Daein will erupt into civil war."

"You're so optimistic," Link teased.

"It's the truth, like it or not. That's why Titania and I came up with this diversion plan. While Ike leads you and the Main Group up the central path up the mountain, Titania will lead the Decoy Group along the side of the mountain that boarders the river. They'll be in plain view, so hopefully the Supply Group and I will go unnoticed along the side of the mountain that boarders the forest. It's your job to keep the soldiers' attention so that all the supplies make it to the clearing. If all goes well, we should regroup on the other side of the mountain by dinner," Soren explained.

The blonde frowned. "Yeah, but I still don't get why you can't come with me and the rest of the fighters. We'll have that healer-guy, Rice, with us. You won't slow us down any more than he will."

The sage rolled his eyes. "Rhys is a seasoned bishop and an experienced healer. You'll need him. I'm needed to navigate the Supply Group through the woods. There are no marked paths, but with the amount of research I've done, we'll be able to make it through safely. We both have our parts to play, and unfortunately, we can't be together." He noticed the worried look in his lover's eyes and sighed. "If it will cheer you up, I'll happily make love to you again tonight."

"The blonde shook his head. "Nope, not tonight. I need to rest up for tomorrow," he proudly stated as he reclined.

Soren scowled. "Oh, now you listen to me."

"Told you I did."

"Way to make a point, asshole."

The archer shifted and pulled the dark haired sage down next to him. "Hey, you don't have to be upset. I'll make love to you tomorrow night, okay?"

"Link, something could happen to you tomorrow morning," Soren mumbled into the Hylian's chest. He kissed his lover's throat.

"Well, if I love you tonight like I'm going to die tomorrow, won't I just be jinxing myself?"

"You're so stubborn."

Link held the young sage tightly. "I promise you, here and now that by this time tomorrow night, I will be alive and healthy enough to make love to you."

"Hn… Okay. Terms accepted, but if you break your promise, there will be repercussions," he threatened darkly.

Link laughed and kissed him deeply. "Go to sleep, Dearest Soren."


	2. Don't Leave Me In Pain

Don't Leave Me In Pain

Link trudged up the rocky path, made even more treacherous by the fresh layer of snow, between Pit and Rhys. Ike led the way with Marth at his side while Roy and Boyd brought up the rear. They had departed early that morning at the same time as Titania's group. A scouting job by Pit the night before determined that there would be around sixty enemy soldiers along both mountain paths. Ike's Main Group was expected to eliminate as many enemies as they found, so Titania's Diversion Group would stand a chance. Either way, all sixty soldiers had to be dead in order for Soren's Supply Group to safely make it to the valley on the other side.

Judging by the position of the sun, Link figured that Titania's Group would be ambushed anytime now, but it wasn't his job to worry about her. Before he left camp, Soren had ordered the Hylian to think only of the battle and keeping himself safe. Nothing else.

Where the path cut into the mountain was now in view. The passage was tall, but narrow; an ideal ambush site. Ike halted and turned to the group. "There's troops up ahead, and we've been spotted. Get your weapons ready. Marth and I will go ahead. Pit, Link, cover us. Roy and Boyd, guard the back, and Rhys, I'll call you if I need you. Everyone, be sure to keep Rhys safe, he's the only one of us without a weapon. Mercenaries, move out!"

Shortly after the group was dismissed, an arrow planted itself in the snow at the Crimean Lord's feet. As angered as he ever gets, Pit returned fire as Marth and Ike threw themselves into the fray. Link concentrated on killing the enemy spell casters while Pit returned fire on enemy archers. The curved arrows of light didn't allow for the Daein archers to hide, and Link struck down any mage that paused to chant.

The Hylian only broke his concentration when he heard the thunder of hooves surprisingly close. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Pit was speared by an enemy knight. The Celestial boy dropped immediately to the ground, clutching the abdominal wound. Link reacted as quickly as his Hylian reflexes would allow, but he barely had an arrow knocked when Ike attacked the enemy knight. The blonde had to turn his head away to avoid being covered in gore.

"RHYS!" Ike yelled furiously, cradling his injured Angel in his arms. "PIT'S HURT!"

Link put away his bow in exchange for the Master Sword, and switched battle tactics from defeating mages to defending Rhys. The pair carefully made their way across the battle field. Link managed to cut down two enemy swordsmen, leaving a clear path to Ike. The blue-haired swordsman had lost all interest in the battle, and as a result, had several arrows in his back. He didn't seem to notice.

He had moved Pit to his lap and was stroking the Angel's hair back. "It's okay, Baby. Stay with me. Rhys is here now; he'll make you better," he whispered soothingly, and made room for Rhys to use his staff.

Feeling accomplished, Link decided to take Ike's place on the battle field until he was fully healed by the staff wielder. At least a dozen soldiers of various melee weapons were waiting for him. He cut down the two that were giving Marth the most trouble. The Prince had only suffered minor wounds. He smiled at the Hylian and thanked him. Shortly thereafter, he planted Falchion in the chest of an enemy javelin-thrower. Link joined his fellow brawler in pushing the front line back.

The enemy began to retreat. Link went to follow, but Marth held him back. "Wait for Ike; it could be a trap," the Prince reasoned.

The blonde nodded and held his ground. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Ike still a ways off, keeping a close eye on Pit, who was fighting as if he hadn't been mortally wounded only seconds ago. Roy and Boyd were busy doing their part; killing any stray soldiers they found hiding behind rocks along the trail. The upper hand was clearly theirs.

"Looks like we're winning," the Altean Prince observed with a smirk, but a deep rumbling had the Hylian convinced otherwise.

"MARTH! LOOKOUT!" he called when he identified the rumble as boulders tumbling down the carved sides of the mountain path. Confused, Marth ducked. In an effort to save his friend, Link dove and shoved the Prince out of the way.

The first of five boulders crashed down only a few feet away. The next two crashed by at a fairly safe distance, but the third one landed directly on Link's ankle. He cried out in agony but only Marth could hear his pain over the rumble of the last boulder.

Up ahead, Daein soldiers were advancing at a rapid pace, confident that their trap had disabled most of the mercenaries. Marth had been correct about a possible trap, and Link, in his crippled state, was at the enemy's mercy. The bluenette Prince rushed forward to try and halt the advancement, but an axe-knight on a horse easily rode past him.

The ebony-clad knight halted only a foot away from the fallen Hero, and advancing soldiers made it impossible for Marth to help him. Link looked up and was blinded by the sunlight reflecting off of the enemy's weapon, as he prepared to deliver a fatal blow. The Hylian did what he could to ignore his injury and raise his sword in defense, but even he knew that blocking from his angle would be impossible.

In a flash of steel, the standoff was over. The Daein soldier fell from his horse with a soft crunch into the snow. Link blinked, still digesting the fact that he was still alive. In the next second, Roy was at his side.

"_Shit_, Link! You almost ate it!" the red-head informed breathlessly.

His usually keen senses dulled from pain, Link couldn't recall how he had been saved. "What'd you do, Roy?"

A grumble from behind the enemy's horse announced that Marth was alive and pissed. He pushed the animal aside and held up his lover's sword. "Roy, how many times must I tell you that your weapon is _not_ a projectile?"

The red-head scoffed. "What? You want me to just stand there and let our good friend Link take an axe to the skull? So what if I threw my sword? Did you see that hit? SPLURGHT! Right in his _face_!" the young noble exclaimed, pumping his fist.

"Lovely. Just try to keep your sword in your hand, where it belongs," the Altean commanded, returning the weapon to its rightful owner.

"Well, _Link_ appreciates it," the fiery swordsman grumbled and looked down at his friend to confirm the statement. "Aw, damn, Link! You foot's all fucked up! HEY! Healer guy! Over here!" Roy waved wildly to get Rhys's attention. Ike, Pit and Boyd joined him.

Rhys tisked. "This is painful, I'm sure, but it's not life-threatening. I can only use this staff one more time before the stored energy is gone. Are you sure you want me to use it for this, Ike?"

Ike examined the snowy path ahead and judged the sun's position in the sky. "Do it, Rhys. It's a long trek ahead of us, and Link would slow us down with his foot like that… Although, I can't force him to be healed if he doesn't want to."

Link considered bearing the pain just to ensure that the staff could be used if someone really needed it, but then he remembered his promise to Soren to be alive and healthy for their evening together. No doubt a broken ankle would equal a broken promise in the crimson eyes of his lover. He nodded. "Okay, okay. So long as it's okay with you guys."

Link sat by the fire, getting antsy. The valley had been scouted for enemy spies, camp had been set, fires started, dinners prepared, but the Supply Group had yet to rejoin the Main Group. A scout had arrived with news that Titania's Diversion Group was intact and on the way arrived an hour ago, but no word came from Soren.

"It's not that big of a deal," Roy reasoned when the scout first arrived. "I mean, the path they were taking wasn't maintained by any means. One of their wagons could be stuck in a pothole and that's why they're taking so long."

The explanation had soothed the Hylian at the time, but as the sun set beyond the mountain range, his doubts returned. 'He would have sent a scout or something by now. He'd have sent for help if they were stuck. Soren knows that I worry. Why isn't anyone coming?!' Abruptly, he stood and made his way over to Ike's tent.

The bluenette was sitting by the campfire, holding his Angelic lover close, sharing his cape like a blanket against the evening chill. The two snuggled and exchanged occasional kisses that only made Link long for his lover more. "I think we should send out a search party."

With some effort, Ike directed his attention away from the Angel in his lap. "Soren knows what he's doing, Link."

"I know, but… I just don't know why he wouldn't have sent a scout by now…"

The larger swordsman shrugged. "Maybe no one volunteered. No one but Soren knows the way, and he wouldn't leave the group to scout ahead. Really, Link, I'm sure they'll be here in another hour or so… maybe even two, since they departed later than the rest of us."

"In an hour, the valley will be in the shadow of the mountain!"

Before Ike could reply, Titania stepped into view. "So sorry I'm late. I was helping some of the soldiers set up our camp before dark."

"It's no trouble," the commander replied. "Did you suffer heavy casualties?"

Thinking he was being sarcastic, she laughed, "Most certainly not! Only ten enemy archers made any attempt on our caravan. Shinnon and Rolf picked them all off before they could do any serious damage. Good thing we had so many vulernaries on hand, because we suffered a few hits, but nothing life-threatening. The whole time I was so worried about you, Ike! Your group must've fought somewhere around fifty soldiers today!"

Ike numbly shook his head. "No… Not even half as many. Maybe twenty at the absolute most."

Titania blinked. "… Strange… I thought Pit saw more than that when we sent him scouting yesterday."

The Angel nodded. "I did! Sixty soldiers all over the mountain; most of them on the center path that we took, and the rest were on the riverside that you took."

"Something's not right," she concluded. "… Is it possible that the rest retreated?"

Ike shook his head. "Not a chance. We would have seen them when we reached the top of our path. You can see the whole valley from there. A retreat of that magnitude could have been spotted easily."

Link's unease grew into panic. He noted the sun's position with even more distress. "Ike," he pleaded.

The commanded nodded. "Titania, can you go get Marth and Roy for me? I'm going to take a small group on a search party."

Snow crunched underfoot as the small group made their way along the mountainside. Link was thankful when they reached the cover of the forest, because the snow hadn't fallen so deep among the trees. Full night was setting in, but the sky was clear. A blue moon illuminated the world before them, even in the shade of the leaves. They had no need for torches. Link led the way, since he had the best night vision and grew up in a forest.

Pit hovered near Ike and leaned on the mercenary for warmth. Ike smiled at how his spare cloak kept the Angel from feeling the true bite of the winter wind. Roy and Marth moved as a unit; both shared their cloaks to maintain warmth in the dead of night. Having no one, Link drew his forest green cloak tighter around himself.

After ten minutes of wandering along the unused path, Link's keen Hylian eyes spotted an orange glow. "Something up ahead," he informed the others.

Pit squinted. "It looks like fire."

Ike smiled and nodded. "Campfires. That makes sense. They got stuck and settled in for the night. No one volunteered to be a scout, so that's why we weren't told."

'That doesn't make sense,' Link's mind argued. 'The moon is as bright as the sun tonight, and Soren's night vision is as good as mine. He could have led them the rest of the way.' He quickened his pace. The fire ahead grew closer and closer until it became obvious that it wasn't a campfire. It was the charred remnants of an overturned supply wagon. The other carts were only burnt skeletons of embers.

Pit squeaked in horror. In the dim light of the burning wagon, he saw the frozen faces of their back-up healers, archers, and weapon-crafters. "Goddess Palutena," he whispered and clasped his hands in a silent prayer. Ike made his way over to the charred wagon, his movements slowed from shock.

"_Shit_," Roy whispered, hugging Marth tighter as he took in the damage.

"They figured it out," the Prince stated coolly. "They figured out our plan and ambushed our supplies."

"Look at those tracks," Roy whispered, pointing at a wide line of hoof prints that traveled down the mountainside before turning and following the same path that the search party was currently in front of. "That's more than a dozen mounted knights."

Pit whimpered. "Why so many?"

Ike looked up from the remains he had been investigating. "So they could load up with all of our supplies. We had ten wagons, and I'll bet they've all been emptied… Weapons, staves, food… FUCK!" he kicked the wreckage in his fury.

"Pit," Marth called, distracting the Angel from his lover's breakdown. "Go back to the camp and tell Titania what happened. Tell her to send Rhys along with a few knights, okay?"

"Okay," the boy nodded, and took flight.

Marth turned to reassess the damage. "That'll keep Pit busy… I hate to trouble the others, though… Odds of there being any survivors," he cut himself off and shook his head. "No. No one could survive in the cold for this long."

Ike pounded the wagon with his fist, calculating his losses. Losing weapons and rations were bad enough, but the amount of back up troops that had been lost was staggering. Ike's troops were as good as crippled. "We should have come sooner," he mumbled, mostly to himself. Marth hummed in reply.

Roy looked around. "Hey? Link?... He's gone."

Marth looked around. "No, he isn't. He's up ahead."

The fiery swordsman shook his head. "Why's he all the way up there?"

Ike's downcast glance suddenly lit up with panic. He had been so wrapped up in the sheer numbers of his losses, he had forgotten about certain individuals within the unit. "Soren! Soren was leading the Supply Group!" he realized and rushed down the horse trampled path to catch up with Link.

The blonde moved slowly, barely lifting his feet from the snow as he scanned the wreckage for a shred of a purple cloak or a lock of black hair. Of all the things he saw, the only thing that registered in his mind was the blood on the snow; purity tainted by the horrors of war. Faces twisted in agony, and grey from exposure to the cold. It was overwhelming, but he pressed on.

"Link!"

He heard a voice, but it wasn't Soren's, so it didn't matter. A trio of footsteps was rushing up behind him, but he kept his eyes forward, searching.

"Link! Stop!"

He did.

But only by coincidence.

In the snow, dashed to shreds by the numeral hooves that trampled it, lay a wind tome. Link's heart dropped into a black abyss and his throat constricted painfully when he noticed something else in the snow within a foot of the magical tome.

A pale hand reached desperately for a book it would never hold. Blood and hoof prints surrounded the purple clad arm attached to the hand. The violet robes of a sage were stained black with blood. Black as the long hair that splayed out in disarray; its owner laid face-down in the snow along the beaten path of the enemy.

Link's body felt colder than the snow around him. He took a hesitant step towards the broken body of his lover, but his knees gave, landing him right next to the fallen sage.

"Soren," he whispered; pleaded.

'_No. This isn't happening. It can't be real!_'

"SOREN!" Heavy footfalls followed by a graceless slide announced Ike's arrival. "Oh, Goddess. Not you, Soren," he whimpered, arms hovering above the sage, afraid to touch. There was a long pause where everything held still. The commander held his breath as he gently brushed the black hair aside to see his advisor's face.

Link was almost thankful that he couldn't see from his angle whether or not his lover was dead. He didn't know if he could bear to see Soren's beautiful face blue in frozen death, with his enchanting crimson eyes glazed over and lifeless. The thought of it made the blonde's stomach churn, and he turned to the side to retch. Nothing came up because he hadn't eaten.

"I can't tell," Ike whispered helplessly. The hardened mercenary choked back a sob.

Roy knelt beside the blue haired commander. "Can you get him on his side?"

Carefully, Ike placed his hands on Soren's hip and shoulder. He gave the sage a small nudge in Link's direction. The Hylian's eyes bulged: not because of his lover's face, he didn't even get a chance to check it. What sent him into a state of shock was the reaching arm; how it remained in the same spot when the rest of the body rolled. It was still connected by the sleeve, but just imagining the painful horror underneath the garment was more than Link could bear.

He lost consciousness.


	3. Don't Leave Me Alone

"What are we going to do, Marth?"

"Sit and wait, Roy. It's all we can do."

"… What would you have done, Marth… if it had been me?"

The Prince sighed. "Roy, don't ask me that."

"Why not?" the younger huffed.

"Because I don't want to think about it, alright?"

The red-head gave an exasperated growl. "You suck."

Their bickering roused the slumbering Hylian. He moaned and stirred, silencing his caregivers. His crystal blue eyes, darkened by despair, slid open. He took in the tent, the one that he shared with Soren. To his right was the desk that Soren used for all of his planning, across from him hung Soren's robes among his tunics, to his left sat Marth and Roy on the small couch that he would snuggle with Soren on, and he laid on the foldable cot that he shared and often made love with Soren on. He choked back a sob.

"Link?" Roy called softly and put a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"Where is he?" the archer asked as the first tears slid down his cheeks. He feared not knowing what had become of his lover, but he doubted that the answer would give him any comfort. 'What if he's already been buried? What if he's already cold and dead in the ground, and I didn't get to tell him goodbye?'

"He's on the other side of camp," Roy answered softly, but Link interpreted it as cryptically.

The Hylian nodded and sat up. "Did you… already?"

Roy thought for a moment, before finally replying, "Rice is taking care of him."

The statement took a full minute to sink in. "W-what? He's alive!?"

Marth spoke up, "Yes, he's alive. _Rhys_ is tending to him, but, Link, try not to get your hopes up. He's hurt _very_ badly-"

Link tuned the Prince out while he yanked his boots on. He snatched his cloak off of Soren's chair and exited the tent before Marth could protest. The blonde rushed to the other side of the camp and was shocked by the small number of soldiers outside of their tents. It wasn't until he spotted the evening guard that he grasped how late it was. After midnight at the earliest. 'I've been out for hours!' he realized as he reached the other side of the camp. He spotted Rhys standing in the light of a small fire, busy talking to Titania. It was clear, even from a distance, that the bishop was exhausted. Link picked up on the flow of the conversation as he drew closer.

"… And it's late, Rhys. You're prone to illness, you should go to bed."

"Titania, I don't know… I just feel like I should stay with him…"

The axe knight's usually confident composure softened into something more maternal. "You've done everything you could for him… Given the circumstances."

The healer's face drew into a grimace. "If only I had moderated my staff better. I should have been prepared for something like this."

Titania touched his shoulder. "You couldn't have known. Your job was to keep those in the Main Group healthy, and you did. We hid our staves with Soren, so the enemy wouldn't know that we had so many. We just took for granted that Soren and the supply wagons would make it safely… Nobody could have planned for this… Everyone's playing the 'what if' game. Ike wonders 'what if I had sent a fighter with the Supply Group', you wonder 'what if I had moderated my staff better', and I wonder 'what if I hadn't given up my last vulernary to someone with a flesh wound'. We can play the 'what if' game all night, but it will only make us miserable."

"It's just… It's not even 'what if's for me… What hurts more than anything else is just-" he broke off abruptly.

Titania sniffed back tears herself. "I know. It hurts when it's one of our own."

"He's just so young! And with so much potential! Goddess, it's just _not fair_!"

The pair went silent as they finally heard Link's approach. He stopped only a few feet away from them. He had never really talked to Titania or Rhys before, and it was hard for the blonde to know where to start. He decided on a question. "How is he?"

"Not good," the frail healer replied sadly.

Link shuffled his feet uncomfortably in the snow. "Will he _be_ okay?"

Rhys and Titania exchanged pained looks. The bishop bowed his head. "With as much that's happened to him… Link… It's hard to say, really… It's only by the grace of the Goddess that he's lived this long."

The blonde scowled. "Look, I know you're trying to be nice, but give me a straight answer with all of the details. What is his current condition and future prospect?"

Titania gripped Rhys's shoulder, lending him the strength he needed to deliver the harsh truth. The priest sighed. "As soon as you all returned to camp, I sent a messenger to our base camp that we stationed at Crimea's boarder. It's little after the middle of the night now, and the healers won't arrive until dawn. Soren will have to survive the night, but after spending five hours in the snow, he's been hypothermic, too cold. I've done my best to stabilize him, but now his temperature's spiked. I believe that he's developing pneumonia in his right lung… possibly both, but the right lung for sure. That will only add to his troubled breathing, since his entire ribcage was crushed. Every breath is a struggle for him, and I fear that it is a losing battle.

"I set his left leg as best as I could, but without a staff, I can only pray that it will heal correctly. His right arm…" Rhys shuddered. "His right arm was badly crushed and nearly separated from his body. Even if I had a staff, it would be difficult to fix. It's possible that it will be amputated… removed."

Link bowed his head and nodded sadly. His lover was alive, but in pieces, and even if he made it through the night, it was unlikely that he would be the same. Thinking of Soren with only one arm and unable to cast spells made the Hylian's stomach twist. "Um, has anyone buh-been in th-there to see hi-im?" the archer hiccupped, fighting back tears.

The healer nodded. "Ike was in there for most of the night. He stayed in there while I did my best to dress the wounds, but… when the pneumonia started to develop, and Soren's breathing became… troubled, it was just too much. He got very upset, and Titania eventually talked him into going to bed. He's taking it really hard."

'Oh, _he's_ taking it hard,' Link thought bitterly. 'Probably from guilt of making my Dearest Soren break down three months back and not apologizing for it.' He clenched his fists in anger but realized that the emotion was misplaced. This wasn't Ike's fault, and hating him was more than unproductive. The Hylian took a calming breath and asked, "Is he allowed to have any visitors now? I know it's late, but…"

"You should go in there, Link," Rhys said gently. "Soren truly loves you, and as painful as this must be for you to hear, I think that your presence will bring peace to him in his… final hour."

The knot in the archer's stomach tightened. He nodded to the healer and his companion, and he entered the tent without looking back. He wasn't prepared for the horror that awaited him.

The tent was occupied by several desks, various medical supplies, two chairs, and a single cot where Link's struggling lover fought his injuries. Soren was covered up to his chest by several blankets to protect him from the harshest of winter winds. He was elevated by several pillows which did little to ease his loud, ragged breathing. From the entrance of the tent, the Hylian could watch as the blankets rose and fell with each shuddering gasp. The rattle of water in the sage's lungs was unmistakable.

Link drew closer and could now see his beloved's face, not blue with cold, but pure white. The flush in the spell caster's cheeks looked unnatural by comparison. His eyes were closed and the sockets dark from all the energy he had spent battling for his life. Each breath came in through his mouth and his eyes would wince tightly shut from the pain of expanding his lungs. The blanket's lightly covering his chest would rise and fall harshly and unevenly.

The Hylian looked over to the right side of the bed and found the arm solidly wrapped and splinted. Even the fingers were wrapped in the blood-stained bandages. However, a quick look at the exposed, blackened flesh of the sage's shoulder showed the true nature of the injury. The left arm seemed uninjured but was ghostly pale. The hand would occasionally clench the sheets during a particularly raspy inhale.

The rest of the spell caster's body was hidden from view under hand knit quilts of neutral colors, although he could see that the left leg was slightly propped to reduce swelling. A shudder ran through the sage's body from the pain of breathing. Each breath had become more than a struggle in the short time that the Hylian had been in the tent; it was now a raging battle. The raven haired youth gasped and wheezed with each inhale and rattled in the back of his throat with each exhale. A wet cough weakly broke the pattern. Afterwards, there was a heart stopping pause. Terrified that he had just witnessed the end, Link rushed forward only to stop dead in his tracks when he heard the sage gasp.

The green-clad hero didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified. He settled for a mix of both and closed the gap to his lover's bed. The struggling gasps had resumed at their regular intervals, and the noise crushed the Hylian's heart. "Oh, Dearest Soren," he whispered and gently stroked the sage's exposed left hand.

Soren's eyes flew open the instant they made contact. His labored breathing quickened as his eyes took in the tent. Link was too shocked to make a sound; there weren't words to describe the pain that he saw in his lover's eyes. He remained still as Soren's blood-red gaze feel on him. A smile tugged at the wind master's lips.

"Link," he rasped. The simple word came out with a haggard exhale, but the love in his tone was unmistakable.

The Hylian dropped to his knees at the bedside and took the fragile hand in both of his own. He never broke eye-contact; he was too afraid to blink. The blonde rested his chin on the cot. "Look at you, Love," he whispered as his eyes began to overflow. "What happened?"

"Horses," he rasped in reply. A deep gasp followed by a harsh cough made the Hylian jump. The sage cleared his throat. "I made a… miscal… culation…" he explained with remarkable clarity between gasps.

Link dried his eyes. Soren was being so strong, and he shouldn't have to support the archer in this state. Link did his best to compose himself for his lover's sake. "Shh-shh. Don't get worked up, Baby. You need to save your energy," he whispered, stroking the back of his lover's hand.

Soren continued, "They figured… out my plan… The attack spooked… the horses… An enemy… knocked me… down and… Ughhhhhh…"

"Don't think about it. You'll be fine. Just rest," the blonde soothed.

Soren showed no sign of stopping. His brow creased as he thought back to the attack. After a moment of intense thought, he relaxed, closing his eyes in exasperation. "… Fuck…"

"What's wrong?... Soren?" Link leaned forward.

The sage opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "I was… trampled… and sus… tained terrible… injuries… all over… my body…"

The simple statement took an agonizing amount of time to say. Link's heart twisted as he watched his lover struggled. "Yes, you're hurt, but you're going to get better… Just hang on."

"My injur… ries don't… concern me," he stated firmly.

The Hylian was puzzled. "Then what upset you, Baby?"

"Rhys had to… strip me… to tend… to me… No one's… ever seen me… naked but… you," he made a series of wheezes that Link mistook for suffocating, but after a moment the archer realized that the spell caster was laughing.

"Oh well… Don't worry about that. You probably gave him a nosebleed with how sexy you are."

The wheezing grew louder and Soren smiled. "Don't know… about that…"

"I do," Link whispered and kissed the sage on his birthmark.

The pain returned to the spell caster's eyes. "I'm sorry… Link…" he sighed harshly. "I ruined… tonight for… us…"

"Don't worry about that, Love," Link whispered, trying to desperately to be strong for his lover, but he was losing his composure. 'After everything you've been through, how can you still be thinking about me? Don't you ever worry about yourself?' With that, the Hylian fell into uncontrollable tears. He hid his face in his left hand while holding Soren's in his right. He wanted to hide it from the sage; he wanted to be strong, but he didn't know if he could any more. Not after everything that had happened, and everything else that still could.

Soren glared at the archer's tears. "Link," he addressed, some of his old authority showing through the pain in his voice. "Stop crying like... I'm already... dead... I'm going… to be _fine_!" With the heavy emphasis came a coughing fit.

Link waited for the fit to pass, but it continued. The coughing intensified and had somewhat of a wet rasp to them. He eased his lover into a sitting position only to watch as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Coughing gave way to panicked gasps. Soren was clearly dying.

"Soren!" The blonde cradled his lover's head gently in his arms and looked him directly in the eyes. "You have to breathe!"

A ragged, wet gasp was his only reply. The sage bent forward, choking in agony.

He tilted the sage's head back so that they saw eye. Both were the center of each other's world. "Breathe, Soren! You can't give up! Breathe… Breathe… Breathe…"

Soren gasped and forced his shattered ribs to expand. It was the most painful experience of his life, even worse than suffocating. The only thing that could possibly hurt worse was losing Link, and that would only happen if he gave up. Desperately, he worked his heavy lungs. He devoted every cell of his being to Link; seeing him, hearing him, focusing on him, and obeying him. He sucked in breath after painful breath, all in careful rhythm with his lover's chant.

"Breathe… Breathe… Breathe…" the blonde had tears in his beautiful clear blue eyes, but he wouldn't allow them to fall. "Soren, you're doing great. Breathe… Breathe… I'm so proud of you… Breathe… Breathe… breathe…" he allowed his chant to diminish and Soren's natural rhythm to take over. He smiled down at the sage with all the love in the world. "Soren, I love you so much. You're so strong… Stay with me… Don't ever leave me."

The young spell caster smiled, and Link wiped the thin trails of blood from his chin. "I'll never… leave you… You're my… everything…"

The Hylian smiled, and held the raven-haired sage in his arms. He showered his exhausted lover with gentle kisses, all while stroking his hair back, and allowing him to relax. The pain of being trampled was intense, but Soren barely noticed it when he felt the green-clad archer stroke back his hair. Everything just seemed to melt away, leaving only Link's gentle eyes and loving touch. Just having the blonde near was enough for Soren to breathe easier.

Link stayed awake, holding the broken sage in his arms, stroking his hair, and whispering words of never ending love. Should Soren's breathing be troubled, the Hylian would start his chant, and they would breathe in unison until the spell caster's rhythm returned. Neither had any indication as to how much time had passed, but it became apparent when Rhys entered the tent.

The bishop was taken aback when he heard the young sage's ragged breathing. Link looked up when he heard the priest falter. "Rhys? I thought you went to bed?" he whispered, as not to disturb his lover.

Rhys blinked. "Link, it's dawn... Didn't you realize? You've been in here all night..." the healer said in disbelief as he approached the bed. "Goddess, he's still with us."

Link smiled and stroked his lover's face affectionately. "Are the healers here? Are they going to make him better?"

Rhys wrung his hands fretfully. "Uh... well, they aren't exactly the best healers available, but they've got more experience than I do. They'll do what they can for him."

Link sighed and waited. After a minute he asked, "Aren't they coming?"

Rhys looked timid. "Yes, but... They've requested for all visitors to... um... leave while they work."

Link scowled and held his beloved sage to his chest.

He glanced down at Soren, and relented. "I'll go, just... give me a moment. I'll be right out."

Rhys nodded and left the tent.

"Soren? Dearest Soren, can you hear me?" He whispered, and nuzzled the sage's forehead.

His crimson eyes cracked open. "Link?" he asked, his voice thinner than a whisper.

"I'm still here. It's dawn. You made it, Love, and the back-up healers are here. They're going to fix you up," he assured gently.

Soren's brow wrinkled in distaste. "No... just Rhys..."

Link sighed patiently. 'Of all the times to be stubborn.' "These are experienced healers. Better than Rhys... You'll be better in no time," he assured, and kissed the red birthmark on his lover's forehead.

Soren's brow smoothed over and he relented. "If you... say so... Love... I trust you..."

Link smiled, comforted that Soren didn't insist on being so willful for once. Carefully, he slipped himself out from under his lover, lying him back down on the many pillows that littered the cot. As he stood, Soren's eyes widened with slight panic and he raised his good arm as much as he could to reach for him.

"Where are… y-you going?"

Link bent over so that they were on the same level. He pet the top of his lover's head and whispered, "Just trust me, Love. I'll be by your side the instant they've finished."

"You're not... going to... be there?" his thin voice pleaded, hurt. Soren was getting antsy and trying, without much success, to move.

The Hylian sat back down on the cot, and leans embraced his lover softly while calming him down. "It's okay, it's okay. They need space to work on you. You'll be alright. We won't be apart for more than an hour. We'll be together again."

The sages efforts ceases, and he once again relaxed against the pillows. "I hate to... m-make you… promise me… something else..."

The blonde sighed with a smile and kissed the spell caster's forehead. When one kiss wasn't enough, he repeated the gesture several more times, and trailed kisses down the young sage's forehead and nose until he finally reached his lips. "Dearest Soren, I've already promised to stand by you. From the moment we first met. I'll be there for you. We won't be apart long."

Link sat by the campfire outside of the medical tent, clearly depressed. It had been little over had been little over an hour since the back-up healers had arrived, and they had yet to report on Soren's condition. It was all the Hylian could do to keep from barging into the tent and demanding to know his lover's prognosis. Instead, he sat by the diminishing fire, watching the medical tent while the sun inched over the tree line.

A boisterous yawn came from behind the blonde. "Mornin', Link," Roy greeted and plopped down on an adjacent bench. "I thought you'd be here," he added softly when the archer didn't reply immediately.

The Hylian sighed. "Yup, been here all night."

Roy twiddled his thumbs and looked over at his friend. "Jeez, Link. You really look _awful_."

"Thank you, Roy," the Hero of Time replied, exhaustion and concern robbing his voice of its sarcastic intent.

"So… what's going on in there?"

Link cast another weary glance at Rhys's medical tent before answering, "Healers got here an hour ago. They have a few staves with them. They've been in there for… a while now."

"Nobody's told you how he's doing?"

Link shook his head.

The crimson haired swordsman growled. "That's ten pounds of bullshit!"

"Roy!" Marth whispered harshly as he came into view. "It's too early for you to be this loud. Keep it down."

The noble huffed. "Whatever you say, _Mom_."

The bluenette made no comment as he sat down by his lover. After an uneasy silence, the Prince shivered and mumbled, "Can't ever seem to keep warm around here. I'll go get some more wood for the fire."

Roy shrugged. "I'm stayin' with Link."

Marth nodded and walked away. A moment later, the flap to the medical tent flipped outward, revealing Rhys and bishop. The bishop hurried off, but Rhys stayed in place, holding the flap open. Seconds later, the bishop returned with a horse drawn medical wagon just as the rest of the healers emerged carrying Soren on a stretcher. The miserable sage groaned weakly with each step that the healers took, although it was obvious they were doing their best not to jostle him.

Seeing his lover in pain enraged the Hylian. "_What are you doing?! Can't you see he's hurt!?_" the blonde roared as he leapt to his feet. He was vaguely aware that Roy had attempted to restrain him, but that didn't stop Link. The Brawler didn't even feel the weight of his fellow swordsman as he drug the poor boy through the snow. "_Why are you taking him?!_"

Rhys stepped in front of Link and effectively blocked him from the healers as they carefully loaded Soren into the back of the wagon. "Link, calm down," the ginger priest whispered soothingly, holding his hands up as a sign of surrender.

"The fuck I will! What's going on, Rhys?! Why are they taking Soren?!" the blonde shrieked, trying to step around the healer. Roy was now on his feet and was successfully working his friend into a headlock.

"Link, please!" Rhys begged, and had to sidestep to avoid being knocked over as the red haired noble successfully immobilized the Hylian. "They're taking Soren, because the damage is more severe than they can treat here. There's a hospital in Melior that is prepped for his kinds of injuries."

"_Melior_?! That's two weeks away!" the blonde roared, waking every soldier within a six tent radius. Roy struggled to cover his mouth, and ended up knocking him off balance into the snow.

Marth returned to the scene, dumping his wood on the dying embers before running over to his companions. "What's going on here?" the Prince demanded, unable to hear Link's snow muffled proclamations. "Roy, flip him over. He's in the snow."

The noble boy obeyed, and rolled over so he was on his back in the snow with the sobbing Hylian on top of him.

"_Let me go with him!_" the blonde cried. "Don't separate us! I can't bear it! I'll get Epona; we'll just follow along. We won't take any space; we won't cause any trouble. Just don't take him away! Don't take him away from me!"

Marth knelt down by the blonde's side as the healers readied to depart. "No one's taking Soren from you. If he needs to be moved to get better treatment, you need to accept it."

"I know, but… Just let me go with him!"

"Link! After the events of last night, we're short enough on numbers as it is. To lose a dual archer swordsman would be devastating to our cause. Losing this war would only make Soren's injuries in vain. Would you honestly do that to him after all he's been through?" Marth demanded, full regal authority in his eyes.

Link collected himself. Biting down on his lip, he replied, "No… I wouldn't do that to him. He risked his life to win this war. I won't let him down… I'll stay."

Marth smiled. "Thank you, Link. You're doing the right thing."

"It's not easy… Roy, let go."

Uncharacteristically, the boy did as he was told. Perhaps it was the venomous undertone in the Hylian's command. The blonde stood up and brushed the snow off of his pants.

"I know this is hard, Link," Marth whispered, and watched as Link looked around.

"Marth, where's the cart?" the archer asked, panic creeping into his voice.

Roy sat up from the snow and examined the tracks leading out of camp. "Uh, Link, looks like they left…"

"FUCK!" The Hylian bolted from the area, following the tracks in the snow. Marth was calling after him, but Link dared the Prince to try and catch him. He followed the narrow grooves in the snow until the wagon was in sight. 'How did it get so far so quick?' he wondered, but then he saw that the horses drawing the wagon were at a gallop. He didn't know how he would keep up with two horses in a run, but he decided to try anyways. He had to tell Soren goodbye.

The cart made it to the base of the mountain, and the horses started to climb at a faster pace than the Hylian could climb. He would never catch up, at this point.

"STOP!" he called. A healer poked his head out of the back of the wagon, but made no move to obey the command. Link inwardly cursed the man's family and changed tactics.

"SOREN!"

He didn't know if the sage could hear him, but he prayed that the boy did. "SOREN! I'LL WAIT FOR YOU! PROMISE ME YOU'LL COME BACK TO ME WHEN YOU'RE BETTER!... I LOVE YOU!" His breath spent, the blonde collapsed into the snow at the foot of the mountain and sadly watched the wagon's ascent.

When the cart disappeared from sight seconds later, the blonde was overcome with sudden, violent sobs. Melior was two weeks away, and even by cart, it would be ten days before Soren saw a qualified doctor. 'How will you make it, Love? What will happen to you if you can't breathe? Will they know how to chant to you? How to soothe you?' He didn't want to allow himself to consider his lover's demise, but he couldn't conceive of the sage surviving for so long without him.

'Don't leave me, Dearest Soren… Not like this… How will I live without you?'


	4. Don't Ever Leave Me Again

Don't Leave Me Again

A spring breeze blew the small blades of grass up and down in waves. It warmed the hillside that sheltered the Crimean camp. Birds sang and butterflies fluttered about, but the blonde Hylian ignored all of it. He felt entirely immune to the beauty of the spring day. His heart didn't feel as light as the breeze, only as cold and heavy as the stone he now sat on at the top of the hill.

The change in weather did nothing but remind him of how much time had passed. It had been three months since last he saw his lover, and every passing day led him to further question whether he would ever see his crimson-eyed lover again. Even now, as he watched the newest reinforcements arrive, he had his doubts. His sharp Hylian eyes couldn't find a hint of violet among the sea of white, gold, and crimson armor. Only soldiers, never a sage.

The flutter of wings overhead alerted him that Pit had arrived. He could only hope that the Angel would bring word from the troops of Soren's whereabouts. The cherub approached slowly, causing the archer's hopes to fade.

"I checked with the new ranks," the boy began neutrally, causing the blonde's heart to twist.

"Nobody's heard of him," Link assumed coolly and scowled down at the newly arrived troops.

Pit shifted his weight nervously and refolded his wings. "Link… I know… This must be so hard for you, but don't lose faith. Soren could still be out there, just… maybe he's lost, or-"

"Soren would never get lost," the Hylian corrected, instantly silencing the boy.

An abrupt silence followed, broken only by the rustle of the wind and Titania's commands to the new troops. Link hunched over, broken and defeated. 'So much time… It's been so long; wouldn't he have come back to me by now?... Is he…. no longer able to come back to me?' His thoughts made the heat of the day vanish.

Unnerved by his good friend's shift in mood, Pit hurried over and wrapped the blonde in a warm embrace. "Don't give up hope, Link," he whispered, doing his best to sound sure. "He's out there, I'm sure of it, and… he'll come back to you."

The Hero of Time did his best to recover his natural good cheer, which was easier to do in the presence of an Angel. "You're right, Pit. I'm glad that I have you to give me an optimistic kick in the ass every now and again."

The cherub giggled, "That's what friends are for."

"Pit?"

Ike voice carried softly on the wind, only slightly concerned.

"Got to go," the brunette boy cheered as he released the blonde.

"Alright, see ya at dinner," Link chuckled, watching the energetic youth take flight.

Before turning in the direction of the camp, Pit added, "Just don't stay up here all day like you've been doing. Come down and hang out with us, sometime," and flew away.

Link sighed as he felt what little comfort he had vanish with the Angel's presence. 'Oh, Soren…' he mused, looking back at the silhouette of the hated Daein mountain range. Three months and he has yet to escape the looming mountains and the haunting memories that came with them.

'What if that was it? What if that was the last time I'll ever see him? Being loaded into the back of that cart… Damn it! Why didn't I go with them? Why?!' his mind pleaded.

Footsteps approached from behind, jarring the blonde from his thoughts. His sharp ears detected a limp in the new comer, as well as a cane. He inwardly cursed this stranger for approaching him during one of his most vulnerable moments. All he wanted was some peace and some time to think.

"If you're lost," Link began. The footfalls ceased. "You need to go down to the camp. Look for Ike, he's the only one with blue hair. He's the leader and he'll check you in; now, if you'll excuse me I'd like to have some peace."

Much to the blonde's annoyance, the stranger grew closer. The breeze picked up into a gust from behind, bringing with it the familiar scents of the forest, clean fabric, with an underlying sent of new paper as well as old books.

A cool, smooth voice whispered in the Hylian's ear, "You're so sharp anymore. Where's the kindhearted blonde that I fell in love with, Dearest?"

Link's heart skipped a beat before pounding out of his chest. "Soren?" he called softly, as tears fell before he had a chance to stop them. He stood up and whirled around; instantly meeting the dark crimson eyes of his lover. "Dearest Soren?"

Standing in the pure white robes of an Archsage, Soren graced his lover with one of his rare smiles. "It's been too long," he replied, tears brimming in his own eyes.

Link scooped the object of his desire into his arms, knocking the staff right out of the spell caster's hand. It fell to the grass with a soft thump, but neither noticed. His hand now free, Soren wrapped it around the Hylian's neck as the two dove into a passionate kiss. The blonde held his lover tight and claimed his lips fiercely. When air became a necessity, he broke their connection to inquire, "What happened, Baby?"

Soren smiled, and gazed into his lover's crystal blue eyes. "Sorry I'm late. My arm was in bad shape… worse than anyone originally thought." Me motioned down to his right arm, which was in a sling around his neck, hidden by his robe. "It got infected a few times, but I refused amputation. It's mended now, but the muscle strength is all but gone. I make due. It's my leg that really slowed me down. Rhys didn't set it properly, so the healers in Melior had to rebrake it to set it properly. I still have a bit of a limp, but at least I can walk."

Link pulled his lover back into an embrace, this time weary of his immobile limb. "My poor baby. You've been through so much," he whispered, running his hands through the spell caster's raven hair.

His lover chuckled into his chest. "It's all worth it just to be back in your arms."

The blonde chocked back a sob, thinking about how lonely he had been without the spell caster. "Oh, Soren. I thought I'd lost you forever. I checked with the troops, every time they sent in reinforcements. I always searched for you, asked if anyone had seen a sage, or heard your name… I… I thought you were dead," he cried, releasing the pent up tears.

Soren placed a silencing finger on the blonde's lips. "Enough," he hushed softly. "Don't upset yourself…. I promised you that I'd come back to you, no matter what. Every day in that hospital…" he traced his fingers gently over his lover's lips, "I thought about you. Only you. Getting back to you. I trained in magic to keep myself strong; to keep myself busy. If I could keep myself from getting sick, then I could come back to you sooner."

"And now you're… a super sage?" Link asked softly, earning a chuckle from the spell caster.

"Archsage," Soren corrected gently.

Link hummed and admired his lover's new attire. "Well, that's certainly not purple," he chuckled and kissed his lover on his birthmark.

"A change in wardrobe ever few years is a good thing," the wind master assured.

The blonde smiled, "I missed you so much."

Soren met his gaze once more, "As I missed you, Dearest Link."

"Promise me you'll stay with me?"

"I promise you, Love."

Link smiled and leaned down for another kiss. "Don't ever leave me again," he whispered as their lips met.

Seconds later, the two stood, looking down at the Crimean camp. Link held his unstable lover close, proving to be more useful than the fallen staff. Silently, they promised to be with each other, no matter the trials that lay ahead.

(End)


End file.
